Before the film begins, the screen is black and music plays, just as David Lean intended. I know it’s tempting to skip the Overture, but don’t do it. Relax. Close your eyes. Unless you’ve already seen the film, what you imagine is nothing to the expansive natural imagery you’re about to witness. The crisp blue sky will lay perfectly on the soft clean sand. Huge red canyons and rocks as tall as skyscrapers look like they were just set there perfectly. When a tiny camel shaped dot comes running across, you’ll realize the grand scale and openness of this land. This is the only music that could explain this land, and let you take it all in and sigh at it’s beauty. Cherish the moment.

The film is based off of T.E. Lawrence’s autobiography, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. In WWI Lawrence (Peter O’Toole) is a British intelligence officer who seems bored with his work in Cairo. When he is given leave to investigate the Arab revolt against the Turks, he unites the Arab tribes led by Auda Abu Tayi (Anthony Quinn) and Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness). He becomes accepted and honored by the Arabs and leads them across the desert to attack the Turks. The British army did not expect this from the young man, especially when he shows up wearing white Arab robes, but they cannot argue with his results. As Lawrence continues to lead the Arabs in desert raids, including derailing Turkish trains, he becomes more and more conflicted between his British ties and Arab friends, who at times seem to worship him.

In a conversation, we see Lawrence remembered as both a great hero and “the most shameless exhibitionist since Barnum & Bailey.” Peter O’Toole plays Lawrence is an unusual but charismatic man. He enjoys letting matches burn down to his fingertips and believes being in the desert will be “fun.” There is an odd sense of determination about him and regularly puts himself in mortal danger but becomes a hero in his survival. By the second half of the film, it seems he’s just asking for it and gloats his acceptance and power over the Arabian troops. This seems to go to his head, he tries to blend in and pass himself off as an Arab, but to no avail. As he becomes driven by new found blood lust, his friend Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif) holds his barbarous secret. Through it all, we love Lawrence, we understand his human flaws and conflict between loyalties. And is crystal blue eyes are the one thing that can match the desert’s beauty.

The desert is full of exciting obstacles that Lawrence must brave. Learning to ride a camel is the least of his worries when he learns that men from one tribe do not permit men from another tribe to drink from their well. Ali kills his first guide over a well dispute. There are also natural threats, like sand storms, the beautifully eerie sand cyclone and quicksand that can swallow a man in moments without leaving a trace. These seem to frighten Lawrence and fuel his curiosity as much as ours.

Over the years, Lawrence of Arabia has been hailed as one of the best films ever made. It won seven of it’s ten Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and holds the fifth highest spot on AFI’s top 100 films list. Stephen Spielberg once viewed the film with David Lean and claims to watch Lawrence of Arabia before directing all of his movies. But be warned, Lawrence of Arabia is a nearly four hour epic. It may not be the best film for fair-weather film fans who buy tickets mostly for romantic comedies. However, for anyone who wants to claim even a mild interest in film, this should be at the top of your must-see list. No excuses.

Most American high schools require their students to read Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, at some point. Unfortunately, forcing literature onto a teenager doesn’t always encourage them to open their mind to it’s ideas. Thankfully, I had Mrs. Essex that semester. She led us into eye opening discussions about the novel and it’s fragile themes. It was probably the first time I was within an honest and intelligent conversation about racism, sexual violence or childhood influences. Of all the literature I was exposed to in my teens, this became one of my favorites and the most thought provoking.

The story takes place in an Alabama town during the depression. Atticus (Gregory Peck) is the town’s lawyer, he’ll take any honest case and will accept payment in simple ways for people who are poor. He’s a widower and father of two children, ten-year-old Jem (Phillip Alford) and six-year-old tomboy Scout (Mary Badham). Jem, Scout and their friend Dill (John Megna) keep themselves busy just being curious kids around the neighborhood and fueling their imaginations with discoveries about the legendary Radley house. When Atticus defends a local black man who has been accused of raping a white woman, Jem and Scout have many hard questions to ask and they witness their father stand against the crowd and do what is right.

In the film, we see that kids are just kids, but it’s what the adults around them do and say that form their senses and understanding of the world. Perhaps it’s the lack of a strong female presence in Scout’s life that influences her tomboy ways, but Atticus is the perfect role model for her and Jem. They’re lucky to have him, on the other end of the parental spectrum is the town drunk, Mr. Ewell (James Anderson). He claims that his eighteen year old daughter, Mayella (Collin Wilcox), was raped and beaten by Tom Robinson (Brock Peters). After the courtroom scene, it’s obvious who the real culprit is and how much Mr. Ewell has wronged his daughter throughout her life.

One of the greatest scenes is when Atticus is protecting Tom from the lynch mob. Atticus is on the porch of the jail prepared to stand his ground, but hopes to do so peacefully. When the mob arrives, mostly made up of poor, chubby farmers, Scout and Jem rush through the crowd to their father. These men aren’t going to get violent with children around, right? Then Scout takes her innocence to a new level and tries to have a friendly conversation with Mr. Cunningham, whom Atticus has helped in court before. The shame on his face, from being picked out as a good man by a little girl when he has the intentions of killing a man is amazing and so moving.

I cannot go on enough about Gregory Peck’s Oscar winning performance as Atticus Finch. He upholds the feelings the character evokes in the novel perfectly. Atticus is the father everyone wants to have in some way. He’s smart, never raises his voice, teaches his children well, both educationally and morally. When Jem or Scout ask him tough questions, Atticus always knows what to say without sugarcoating the truth. He’s as respectful to children as his is to adults, and in return earns their respect. The AFI named Peck’s Atticus as the top screen hero in past hundred years. That’s quite an honor for a character who might sum himself up as simply a father and a lawyer.

Everyone, especially parents, should see (and read) To Kill a Mockingbird. Kids will be intrigued by Jem and Scouts adventures, but should have an adult on hand for tough questions about a certain word. If you ever need a coach to help you explain things to little ones, just remember that Atticus is a role model for every child to look up to and all parents to emulate.

“There just didn’t seem to be anyone or anything Atticus couldn’t explain. Though it wasn’t a talent that would arouse the admiration of any of our friends, Jem and I had to admit he was very good at that – but that was all he was good at… we thought.”

This is a remake of the 1935 Best Picture winner, which I have yet to see. Why it would need to be remade is beyond me, perhaps I’ll have an answer for that in a few months.

In 1787 the Bounty is on a mission from England to Tahiti to find a plant called bread-fruit. It seems to be a super-food that could cure world hunger. Captain Bligh (Trevor Howard) believes in keeping the mission first priority, discipline second and the lives of his men near the end of the list. To make good time, Bligh tries to take a short cut around the Horn of Africa, but the season is not in their favor. The ship is nearly underwater before Bligh decides to turn back and head for the Cape of Good hope, as planned. If you look at a map, you’ll see just how out of their way Bligh put the men.

First Lt. Fletcher Christian (Marlon Brando) sees that the captain has his priorities mixed up, but believes in being a gentleman first and just stares downward thoughtfully as his men are beaten, overworked and nearly starved by Captain Bligh. You won’t believe how long it takes him to finally mutiny against Bligh, far too long in my book.

When the Bounty gets to Tahiti (don’t worry, Bligh is still Captain here), the land is paradise to the men. The natives are friendly, very friendly. So friendly that they consider the act of love making a gesture of good will. This keeps the men very happy. Unfortunately for Bligh, they arrived just in time for the bread-fruit’s dormant season and have to stay for five months. With all the beautiful native women running around gladly accepting their good will, the men enjoy the stay.

After all the bread-fruit plants have been collected, the men have to leave their women behind and are once again at the end of their Captain’s whip. On the return voyage, Bligh realizes that they don’t have enough water to keep all the plants alive and keep the crew quenched. If you ask me, the water rationing and other cruelties goes on for far too long before Christian finally stands up for his dying men.

I agree that the film was done very well. The ship is magnificent and went on to make more films, actually sailed and was on display for decades. The action scenes are heart pounding and the amount of water flying everywhere can put Pirates of the Caribbean to shame.

But there are somethings that just rubbed me the wrong way, like the accent Brando chose for Christian. I understand he’s supposed to be an English gentleman and this voice sets him apart from the common crew but he sounds so odd, it’s creepy and not heroic at all. Then there’s a fun little scene where Bligh is asked to dance with the king’s daughter, but it just turns into an example of white people dancing badly.

Like I said, I have yet to see the original, but did they really have natives that granted the men unlimited, carefree, interracial sex? Even if so, I doubt it was played up so much. At one point, the girls are literally lined up for the pickin’. This feels nearly silly, just the 1960’s trying to push the envelope. Yet the idea is believable, but completely sexist. Not that that was a problem in ‘62, they could have claimed it was culture, but those side-boob shots might have caused a ruckus. I’m sure some mothers would have yanked their sons right out of the theaters.

Let’s be honest, if you only have time for one long epic in 1962, you’re waisting your time with Mutiny on the Bounty. The best is yet to come.

“The king’s navy will not rest until every mutineer is captured and executed. Wherever you go, wherever you hide a thousand ships will search you out.”

Around Indianapolis, we can take our marching bands pretty seriously. For the past ten years my family has had a kid in the band, starting with me. Through the years we’ve been to countless competitions, a few parades, won and lost some big titles. Sometimes I forget what a sweet and honest thing a marching band can be. They can bring a town together through both sight and sound, they seem to be a perfect staple in Midwest Americana. Nearly every small town brings theirs out and down main street for Fourth of July parades and other special occasions, whether it’s the local high school or the American Legion.

In The Music Man, Professor Harold Hill (Robert Preston) is a notorious traveling salesman who makes a fortune swindling small towns into creating a marching band. He orders the equipment and uniforms, then leaves town with the money, since he has no musical wits. When he arrives in River City, Iowa, everyone is very unfriendly and hardly says two words to him or each other. In order to unite the people, he plants the idea that the new pool table is a game of sin that could turn their young boys into ruffians. In order to keep the boys “moral after school” he proposes a marching band.

To cover his tail, Harold seeks out the town piano teacher and librarian, Marian Paroo (Shirley Jones). She seems to always be weary of Harold and doesn’t believe his credentials. His plan is to charm her so she does not see that he knows nothing about music. When the two strike up a romance, leaving town won’t be so easy.

This is one of the most enjoyable musicals I’ve ever seen. Personally, I can become annoyed when characters just start to sing in a whim, but The Music Man puts some interesting leads into their songs. Elements within the setting can help springboard a song, like in the very beginning where the salesmen speak in the rhythm of the train or how Marian and her mother carry on a conversation while little Amaryllis is practicing her scales. Explaining it could sound cheesy, but I assure you, it’s great fun.

Throughout the film, we see River City become more and more excited about their new found musical talent. When men from the school board (The Buffalo Bills Quartet) confront Harold about his credentials, he distracts them, multiple times by nudging them into a song. Harold also turns Tommy (Timmy Everett) the town bad-boy into a more productive young man, inventing a music holder for flute players. But best of all, all this excitement moves cute little Withrop (Ron Howard) to sing, even though the boy is ashamed of his lisp and hardly says a word.

The Music Man would make for a wonderful family film night. It’s very sweet, colorful and wholesome, but not so much that it could make your teenagers eyes roll. You don’t need to have kids, history lessons or any musical inclinations to enjoy The Music Man. Just kick back and let it surprise you.

“Seventy-six trombones led the big parade. With a hundred and ten cornets close at hand.”

Many of my generation have grandfathers who served in WWII. Each have their individual stories, whether they were in the Pacific, Europe or just waiting. My Papa never talked about it, but he was one of the thousands of men who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Knowing that has always sent a sense of pride and a chill of reality whenever I see a film depicting that historic day. The Longest Day chronicles the events just before and through the D-Day invasion.

Throughout the film, we are shown the events as they unfold from multiple perspectives. There are British and American troops waiting anxiously on whether or not they will invade, some in the rain on cramped boats for days. We see German officers more interested in their war games, not expecting the Allies to take the risk of invading in bad weather. There is also the French resistance, waiting for codes over the radio. From seeing each angle, the cause and effect is very clear and gives the viewer a wonderfully informed look at D-Day.

Sadly, to depict all angles of the invasion,the film sacrifices nearly all character development. Though the film boasts its large cast with big name actors, there is not enough time spent with any one character to make him more than a flimsy caricature. John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Sean Connery, Red Buttons, Richard Burton and Robert Mitchum are only a small fraction of the cast. The main problem is that there are simply too many characters to show in this small space of time. Directors Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki and Darryl F. Zanuck seemed to realize this might be a problem, so they tried to help us out by putting up each character’s name and rank as they are introduced in the beginning. I applaud the effort, but there’s still too many to keep track. One historical day, from multiple vantage points, boiled down to three hours of film can only show these characters as vague figures such as British paratrooper, American Private, German officer, and French civilian.

The visual aspect of The Longest Day is absolutely astounding. The black and white cinematography and thought out camera angles bring out the perfect details of the many sets. One image that sticks in my mind is the German slogans carved in a wooden beam in a building where German soldiers are shooting at the Allies from as they are moving into the town. Multiple times we are shown aerial long-shots of soldiers moving up the beach or into towns. These shots really reflect what a large scale this film was made on, how many nameless extras worked together with no CGI. And the action scenes are filmed precisely, with real explosions sending dirt and smoke flying into the air, again with no fancy computer tricks.

I would suggest seeing The Longest Day if you are interested in an in depth view of D-Day from multiple perspectives. While the individual stories are sub-par, the film does an excellent job of showing the cause and effect of each event throughout D-Day. The classic actors aren’t shown enough to really draw a fan in. I believe Henry Fonda has only one scene, and Sean Connery has less then five minutes of screen time. Your fair-weather viewer would probably prefer Saving Private Ryan, with its modern effects, more heartfelt story and strictly American point of view. However, film and history buffs should see The Longest Day, if not both.

“You remember it. Remember every bit of it, ’cause we are on the eve of a day that people are going to talk about long after we are dead and gone.”